March 24, 2024 – Somali government forces have shut down the office of Durdur Media in Mogadishu and arrested some of its staff members.
Durdur Media Group, an online media outlet, was accused of sharing videos featuring female singers.
The militant group Al-Shabaab had previously threatened to kill cameraman Liban Mustaf Isak after he filmed a video of singer Fartuun Balbalaarka performing in a shirt and trousers. Al-Shabaab considered this unacceptable and issued death threats against him.
Additionally, some Somali religious scholars held a meeting and condemned Durdur Media for violating Somali cultural values. They urged the government to take action against the media outlet’s leadership and staff.
As a result, the Durdur Media office has been completely shut down, and the whereabouts of cameraman Liban Mustaf Isak remain unknown. He is being pursued by Al-Shabaab, the Somali police, and religious scholars who view him as someone acting against Somali traditions.
A year ago, Liban’s older brother, Hassan Mustaf Isak (Hassan Top), sought asylum in the United States. Somali journalists frequently face intense pressure from the government, Al-Shabaab, and ISIS, often receiving death threats from these groups.
